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"Summer is upon us, and that calls for books to enjoy while lounging poolside. We asked MIND Research Institute staff to recommend their favorite mathematically themed reads, and their picks run the gamut of genres from sci-fi to psychology. Add a few of these to your summer reading list for completely guilt-free and possibly enlightening pleasure. "

"Summer is upon us, and that calls for books to enjoy while lounging poolside. We asked MIND Research Institute staff to recommend their favorite mathematically themed reads, and their picks run the gamut of genres from sci-fi to psychology. Add a few of these to your summer reading list for completely guilt-free and possibly enlightening pleasure. "

"There are a lot of labels that describe the ethos and characteristics of certain times in history. The Dark Ages. The Renaissance. The Age of Enlightenment. Most recently, we've browsed, texted, and Google'd our way through the Information Age. What comes next, and when does it start? Further, what causes the movement from one epoch to another, and how does that change once technology is not just a catalyst, but the foundation for social interactions?"

"Comic book writers are indebted to scientists, and they demonstrate their gratitude by giving these real life mega-minds special places in the pantheon of superhero mythologies. Bruce Banner, who goes Hulk when angered, developed the Gamma Bomb for the US government. Susan Storm, also known as the Invisible Woman, holds four doctorates in biochemistry and still finds time to save the world. Even the X-Men's Beast is a much-lauded biochemist. Close study of comic book universes and the science concepts upon which they are founded can be enlightening for students and teachers alike. Boys and girls are riveted by the unique powers and compelling personalities and histories of superheroes."

The Whole Earth Catalog was groundbreaking, enlightening, and spawned a group of later publications.

"The Irish Times has a good, short piece on The Moth, the not-for-profit organization dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. The Moth started in George Dawes Green's living room in 1997, but soon the storytelling club founded by Green started hosting events in cafes and clubs throughout New York City. The name "The Moth" came from the idea that people are attracted to stories the way moths are attracted to a flame. From The Moth website: "Each show starts with a theme, and the storytellers explore it, often in unexpected ways. Since each story is true and every voice authentic, the shows dance between documentary and theater, creating a unique, intimate, and often enlightening experience for the audience." The storytellers are usually novice storytellers who have something interesting to share. Yet, The Moth directors work with the speakers before each show to help them find their stories and shape them. The focus is on meaning and quality but also on naturalness and authenticity, therefore, no notes or scripts are allowed. "

"When I heard the news that Phil Schlechty had passed away it was sudden and I felt sadness. I've never met Phil but I've been deeply impacted by his work throughout the years. You see it's one of the things I'm learning about education and writing in this whole connected place: We get to know people through their work, we get to know people through their passions, and we get to know people who we actually don't know face-to-face. Schlechty's work around engagement is one of the most enlightening and simple frameworks for educators to use. What I found fascinating about his levels of engagement is that I could see myself in the classroom working towards compliance instead of engagement."

"In an effort to prepare the next generation for the future, school and public librarians, as well as teachers and educators at community-run and for-profit camps, have answered the call to teach kids code. But many now recognize it's not enough for students simply to know how to write code. The capacity to build a product or solve a problem requires an entirely different literacy. With this in mind, the focus of coding education is shifting from teaching the specific skill of coding to teaching computational thinking-or the ability to follow a step-by-step process to solve a problem. Technology education programs from CSforAll to Code.org to the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), as well as employers such as Google, all embrace this new context and focus. The future workforce will require a solid grounding in the discipline of thinking computationally, says Chris Stephenson, Google's head of computer science education strategy. She compares this moment to the epistemological shift that happened before the Enlightenment, when scribes guarded reading as a skill only for the chosen few."

"Over the course of the weeks not only did my students learn how to code, but they learned so many important life-skills.  Students participated in "Plugged" and Unplugged" activities.  Months ago, I took a code.org class which was a turning point in my "World of Code". With some guidance and little help, my students began their journey into coding and programming. What did my students learn? Persistence Collaboration Problem Solving Logical Reasoning Critical Thinking Cause and Effect Being Inquisitive Communication Skills Having Fun "

"With second quarter in full swing, and a new reading/language arts curriculum, I am excited to update my post from March on Guided Reading in a 1:1 classroom.  My enthusiasm and passion continues to grow knowing the students  I teach have limitless possibilities.  I am able to individualize and differentiate instruction for each child in my classroom. "